The Way It Should Have Been
by thunderhawk7865
Summary: One-shot sidestory to The 7th Element, in which it is detailed what would have happened if Blue "Ace' Bass had stayed in equestria at the end of the first story. Preview of what's to come in The return of the 7th Element.


_**The Way It Should Have Been**_

**One-shot side-story to The 7th Element series by Thunderhawk7865.**

**Edited by Zimprus Nalune**

**Cover Art by Robsa990**

**NOTE**

**This is a story that was voted for by Thunderhawk's followers on FiMFiction and is a reward to them for reaching the 200 mark.**

The subject of this story is what would have happened if Dan, or Blue Bass, was able to stay in Equestria at the end of The 7th Element.

**Equestria, Palomino Desert, near the ruins of Dodge Junction, 9:57 PM**

* * *

The wind blew solemnly through the night sky, the clouds almost completely blocking out the light of Luna's moon. The sands of the Palomino Desert shifted restlessly around as the wind picked up separate particles of dust and moved them all about.

A patch of sand brushed up against the armored hooves of a Pegasus stallion. This stallion was orange with a red, short, spiky mane and a smooth tail. He wore the brown ballistic armor of The Red Hooves Corps. His Cutie Mark was a single red hoof; the symbol of Celestia's hoof-picked group of covert agents.

The stallion was flanked by several royal guards dressed in traditional armor. Without changing his demeanor, he barked out an order.

"Fan out. Search for survivors."

Silently, the squadron of guards drew their weapons and trotted past the lone Red Hoof agent. In front of the agent and his soldiers was a field of dead bodies.

The dead bodies of guards and the Dodge Junction Division of the Red Hooves.

Flies buzzed around the corpses incessantly, as they had been there awhile. The Red Hoof agent was surprised some bodies remained intact after the barrage of the Changeling war machine. One nearby guard gasped and slammed a hoof onto his mouth to resist the urge to vomit at a dead pony's skull showing through his skin.

"Keep it together, soldier..." The orange Hoof agent said to the soldier dryly as he walked by. The soldier, in turn, saluted quickly and turned over the corpse so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore. "You all stay here. I'm going to go check this intact shed over here. The door's open," the agent announced. The soldiers all murmured in response, preoccupied as they were with their dirty job.

The agent trotted slowly to the shed, the door creaking gently in the breeze. He gulped and gently opened the door.

The Red Hoof agent sighed woefully as he beheld the dead body of what looked like a guard captain, leaning up against the wall with blood stained on the wall behind him. It looked like he had been injured in the fight and crawled to safety in the shed. He gently took off the helmet of the body and shook his head upon seeing a grizzled, old white Pegasus pony with a grey mustache.

"Captain Sixer..." The agent sighed, reaching down and closing the old captain's eyes. "You should've retired when you had the chance..." The agent stared down at the dead guard captain and bowed his head. "You were greatly respected amongst the Hooves, sir. I'm sorry you're gone. You will... be gravely missed..."

The agent sniffed sadly and closed his eyes, giving a moment or two to honor the old war hero of The Battle of Canterlot.

When again he opened his eyes, something caught his eyes.

A quill on the ground next to him. And several pieces of yellow, torn up parchment clutched in one of his forehooves.

"What the—?" The agent started, cocking his head. "A last will, maybe?" The agent gently reached down and grasped the parchment. Being careful not to rip or tear it, he removed the parchment from his hoof.

It was a series of several scribblings that were barely eligible. Sixer was clearly on his last legs when he wrote this.

The agent holding the papers took a quick look around before he held the papers up to his face and began to read:

* * *

_If you are reading this, then you have survived this...this madness...and are here to look for survivors..._

_The changelings...the zebras on the move...it seems like Equestria is falling apart..._

_We...we didn't stand a chance. The changelings in their war machine overran us faster than when they invaded Canterlot...all those years ago..._

_If you found this, then...then I am dead..._

_For the record, then, here's my name and rank:_

_Sixer Kyne, Captain._

* * *

The agent looked over at the dead body one more time and sighed, shaking his head before he continued Sixer's account.

* * *

_I...I don't know how much time I have left before I bleed out...I don't even know if there is anypony left out there after the changeling machine destroyed the town. I'm surprised this shed was able to hold._

_I...write this not as a last will and testament..._

_But rather..._

_I write this as a promise that...as bleak as things look...there is still hope..._

_The 7th Element of Love...Ace...has returned..._

* * *

The agent scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Crazy old coot..."

* * *

_That's right. He's back._

_I...I saw him..._

_My daughter, Violet, came home last night and told me she saw a strange looking-pony in blue Captain armor exiting the zeppelin station; calling himself Blue Bolt..._

_And that he looked very familiar..._

_I...was intrigued...but my daughter is so childish and silly...and will be for the rest of her dear...sweet...life..._

_I hope she's...okay..._

_I pray to Celestia that she's okay..._

* * *

"Daughter?" The agent looked over at Sixer's corpse and sniffed sadly. "I'm...I'm so sorry sir...I hope she's...okay..."

The agent wiped away a single tear before he turned his attention back to Sixer's account, noticing for the first time tear-stains around the parts mentioning the Violet mare.

* * *

_But, when the post office exploded, and the attack started..._

_I saw him..._

_And I knew it was him...because the Golden Scimitars of legend appeared in his hooves before he took off to confront the changelings on their own ship..._

_I...I know not whether or not he succeeded...but the fact remains that my town is gone...and I am dying..._

_So, in my last moments of life, I leave my tribute to Ace and...and...let you know how it should have been for Ace and his family..._

* * *

"How it should have been?" The agent wondered aloud before turning his attention back to the papers.

* * *

_I...knew Ace and his mate, Rainbow Dash, personally while he was here. We were very close and they considered me a good friend. Now that he's back, I can only express my sincerest wish that the mare he loves and his child will take him back._

_But...if he could have stayed all those years ago, I can't help but imagine how everything would've been different..._

_And if I would still be alive..._

_The following are my accounts of what should have happened..._

_But didn't..._

* * *

**15 Years Ago, Ghastly Gorge, 3:54 PM, just after the race against Lightning Flash**

* * *

"W-wonderbolts!?" Ace gasped, his eyes wide with excitement. "Are you serious!?"

"Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, omiGOSH!" Rainbow Dash was hyperventilating behind her lover as Soarin' and Spitfire stood before them, grins plastered on their faces.

"Totally, guys..." Spitfire smirked and winked at Rainbow Dash. "We'll have to run the footage by our manager, but I think you two have what it takes..."

"Oh yeah, bros!" Soarin' excitedly stood up on his hind legs and swung his forehooves in front of him before touching back down. "That Double Rainboom trick will totally own the sky during our shows!"

"Well...I-" Ace started to speak, but was quickly interrupted by Rainbow Dash slamming him aside, her face lit up.

"We accept!"

"Rainbow Da-"

Rainbow Dash whirled around and shook Ace back and forth until he was shaken. "WE ACCEPT!"

"Argh..." Ace's golden eye's swirled around in his head for a moment before he shook his head and regained his composure. "Alright, alright..." He closed his eyes and chuckled.

"YEEEES!" Rainbow Dash quickly tackled her lover to the ground, nuzzling him excitedly.

* * *

_Rainbow Dash and her mate Ace were to become Wonderbolts together..._

_They would perform wonders together at their many derbies and shows they would put on..._

_Ace would've also been here for the crises that befell our race after he left...maybe we wouldn't have lost as much if he were here..._

* * *

**15 years ago, Canterlot Castle, 11:58 AM, the Royal Wedding of Shining Armor and Cadance...**

**...just before the invasion of the changelings.**

* * *

The outside the castle waiting to enter and see the bride and groom cheered as the Wonderbolts soared overhead, each of them leaving their trademark trail of color. Spitfire and Soarin' led the pack as captain and co-captain, but not far behind them were two new members.

Rainbow Dash and Ace, who both had their manes blown out of proportion into Wonderbolt manestyles and wearing matching suits and goggles to match the others, flew in the middle of the pack, twirling around each other, the rainbow and golden trails the left spinning around each other. As per the routine, Dash and Ace broke off from the main and group, grasped each others' hooves, and started flying upwards, spinning around each other as they flew faster and faster. The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves as the deafening sound of their trademark Double Rainboom filled the air, and a rainbow and golden shockwave painted the sky as the pair soared upward.

Finally, the two released each other and flew down and around to the castle fairgrounds. Laughing, they touched down and Ace gave Rainbow Dash a quick peck on the cheek.

"You never fail to impress, Dashie..." Ace placed his goggles on his forehead and winked at her.

She blushed and pulled up her goggles as well, smiling. "You're still almost as good as me..."

Ace playfully slugged her with a forehoof and started walking towards a lightly decorated tent that had a sign on the front that read "Foal Nursery." "Come on, let's go grab our little bundle of joy before the wedding starts..."

Rainbow Dash chuckled, "He gets his bundle of joy-ness from you, slick..."

"You'd be right there." Ace laughed, trotting inside the tent.

"AAAAACE!"

"GAH!"

Ace grunted as he was knocked to the ground by the hyperactive pink party pony he knew too well.

"Youweresoawesome! CanIhaveyourautograph!? OrRainbowDash's!? Thatdoublerainbooomnevergets old!" Pinkie Pie jumped up and down on Ace's torso excitedly.

"Knock it off, Pinks..." Rainbow Dash shoved the hyperactive pony off of Ace, who hurriedly stood up, brushing off his Wonderbolt tights. "We're here to get Blazing Dawn."

"Was he too much trouble?" Ace asked worriedly. The foal's magic was quite unstable and...unpredictable...to say the least. He once teleported Dash's entire cloud over the Palomino Desert in the middle of summer. Needless to say, the whole family, Lunar Eclipse included, ended up having to rebuild Rainbow's from scratch, as it evaporated instantly.

"Yepper doodles!" Pinkie zipped back behind some curtains and emerged with the tiny blue and gold sleeping alicorn in her hooves. Ace sighed and smiled as Rainbow Dash carefully took the infant in her forehooves. "This is...my child..." Ace thought, running a hoof through his frizzy golden mane. The foal yawned and nuzzled rainbow's chest, and Rainbow watched Ace intently as he stroked his son's mane. "It may not be human, but...I couldn't be happier..."

"Thank you, Pinkie..." Ace said, looking at Pinkie. "We should all head to the throne room for the wedding. We're gonna be late..."

"Okie dokie loki!" Pinkie smiled and started hopping out of the tent.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "So random..."

Ace laughed, "She's grown on me, I'll admit. She-"

"HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUH!"

Ace was interrupted by Pinkie exhaling sharply outside. Rainbow Dash and Ace exchanged glances before galloping outside.

"Pinkie!" Ace barked. "What's wron-" His eyes shrunk in fear. "Oh..."

Around Shining Armor's magical barrier were thousands of tiny, insect looking creatures. They were slamming themselves onto the shield and, to Ace's horror, it began to crack in some places.

"What ARE those!?" Rainbow Dash yelled, rocking Blazing Dawn back and forth and trying to keep him asleep.

"I don't know...but they don't look friendly..." Ace growled and snapped on his goggles. "Pinkie, take Blazing Dawn...lock down this tent...keep the foals safe..."

Pinkie, surprisingly without saying a word, quickly saluted, grabbed Blazing Dawn, zipped inside the tent and sealed the door shut.

With a thundering crash, the barrier dissipated and shattered. "Dash!" Ace yelled at Rainbow Dash, who snapped on her goggles and feigned a stance as if she were about to take off.

"Ace! Dash!" Ace turned to see the other Wonderbolts, led by Spitfire, trot up to them, goggles on as well. "What are those things!? How did they get through!?" Spitfire snapped and looked up as the creatures started their descent.

"No idea..." Ace closed his eyes and extended his forehooves. His a golden flash of light, his golden scimitars appeared. Also, the shoulderblades of his element armor appeared over his Wonderbolt tights, as well as his hoof-guards and knee-guards. "But nopony...no thing...crashes a wedding on my watch!" He looked at Spitfire. "Spitfire! May I suggest a tight-arrowhead formation?"

Spitfire thought for a second, then smirked and nodded. "Fall in, Wonderbolts! Arrowhead drill! Stay together!"

Soarin', Fleetfoot, Rapid Fire, Rainbow Dash, and the other Wonderbolts fanned out behind spitfire. "Ace...you lead..." Spitfire stepped back and flared her wings.

Ace nodded, extended his wings and scimitars. "I don't know what's going on in the castle, but we can't let those things through!" He turned and smirked. "Wonderbolts! Hoo hah hah!"

"Hoo hah hah!" The best fliers in all of Equestria shouted back.

As one object, one entity, the Wonderbolts, led by an armed and lightly armored Ace, rocketed into the sky to meet their foe. The Wonderbolts slammed into the black wall of creatures, a large explosion of multiple colors sent the creatures flying in all directions, some of them unmoving and dead.

As the Wonderbolts soared through the sky combating these creatures, they kept all but a few from reaching the ground. The creatures that did reach the ground headed to the throne room. Little did the Wonderbolts defending the city know that the Queen of these creatures, Chrysalis, was posing as Princess Cadance and Rainbow Dash left the fight in the air and used the original six Elements of Harmony to banish Chrysalis and the Changelings the Wonderbolts didn't defeat back to the badlands from whence they came.

* * *

_With Ace in the air with the Wonderbolts, those vile Changelings would never have done the massive amount of damage they got away with doing._

_Chrysalis would have been defeated easier, and Shining Armor and Cadance would have a happier wedding..._

* * *

**14 Years Ago, The Crystal Empire**

* * *

Princess Cadance was tired.

Her eyes were red and bloodshot as she stood on the balcony of the tower, trying to use her remaining magical energy to ward of the relentless assault of King Sombra. Shining Armor, her husband, stood by her side, holding her up as best as he could. There was the sound of a door opening and closing behind the pair, followed by the clopping of hooves on pavement.

"She hanging in there, Shining?"

"Hmph...barely..."

Ace sighed and placed an armored forehoof on the distressed Captain's shoulder as he looked out at the Crystal Fair down below the balcony they were on.. Shining Armor was shocked to hear the clink of armor and turned his head to see Ace in his Element armor.

"Why are you in your armor?"

Ace moved his eyes around as the festivities down below until he found Rainbow Dash in the jousting arena. She was still in her armor and had just helped Fluttershy up after defeating her in the last joust...again. She looked up at Ace and their eyes met. She smiled, winked at him, then turned her attention back to Fluttershy.

He smiled, then he slowly moved his gaze to the horizon. The darkness outside of Cadance's barrier was getting thicker. Occasionally, he could see those horrifying green eyes staring back at him out of the gas.

Ace frowned. "Because Cadance can't hold this for much longer...he's gonna get through..."

Shining Armor was taken aback. "That...that can't be true!"

Ace blinked and drew his scimitars from their holsters on his armor. In a small flash of light, a blue and black helmet appeared on his head. The helmet he wore was open in the front and the neck, so one could see his face.

"It's okay, Captain. Just make sure she's safe." He nodded at Cadance. "And find that Crystal Heart." In an instant, he unfurled his wings and was off into the sky, a trail of gold light emanating behind him.

Shining Armor sighed and shook his head. He gasped, however, when Cadance suddenly fell limp. "No!" Shining Armor kneeled down and cradled his unconscious wife in his forehooves. "No! No no no! Cadance! Wake up!" He looked up desperately.

The barrier slowly fizzled out and died...and the darkness was starting to creep into the borders of the Crystal Empire.

"Hahaha..." A vehement voice sounded in the sky as the black mist loomed over the fairgrounds. "I have returned to take what is mine!" In an explosion of black smoke, King Sombra himself appeared, soaring through the sky on what appeared to be a thick cloud of darkness beneath him.

The various crystal ponies were horrified, screaming as they ran away from the fair, leaving only the Elements of Harmony, with the exception of Twilight Sparkle, who was looking for the real Crystal Heart, staring up at the sky.

"We're too late!" Applejack held onto her hat as the wind picked up, and behind her, Rarity fainted.

Rainbow Dash looked up at the sky and growled. "I'll hold him off!"

"Rainbow Dash, wait!" Pinkie leaped forward and tried to tackle Rainbow and stop her from taking off, but it was too late, and Pinkie fell face-first on the cobblestone.

As Rainbow flew upwards towards King Sombra, she noticed a streak of gold headed towards him as well. Upon closer inspection, she found out it was Ace in his armor with his weapons drawn, heading straight for the evil unicorn.

"Dan!" She shouted in surprise. "He's supposed to be helping Shining Armor and Cadance defend the tower!"

"RAAAARGH!" Dan yelled as he got closer and closer to Sombra.

The evil unicorn cackled maniacally in response and drew his own blade: a broadsword cloaked in dark energy. "Pathetic...they send a single pathetic warrior to challenge me...how pitiful! I shall make an example of hi-ARGH!"

Ace slammed into Sombra, a shockwave of golden light and black shadows exploding around the air as they clashed together again and again. Sombra and Ace were seen flying through the air, striking at each other with their weapons so furiously that the ponies watching couldn't follow what was going on. Eventually, Sombra cried out in pain as Ace managed to nick his face, a single droplet of green blood running down from the cut. Sombra slowly reached up and touched a hoof to his face in shock, looking up at Ace, who smirked, rose his scimitars in the air, and slammed them down over King Sombra.

King Sombra flew down towards the grounds of the Crystal Fair, slamming right into the fake Crystal Heart the Elements had put up, crushing it and making a small crater in the ground.

When the dust cleared, Ace had landed on the outside of the crater and ponies started gathering around, crystal ponies and the Elements alike, including Twilight and Spike, who had just arrived with the real Crystal Heart. The darkness in the air cleared and some ponies cheered when the sun shown down on them.

"Ugh..." Sombra groaned and rubbed his head, his horned helmet had been cracked in half. He looked up and growled angrily at Ace. "How...how did you-?"

"DON'T..." Ace crossed his swords in front of Sombra's neck. "Don't even ask..." Ace sighed and used one hoof to remove his helmet and drop it on the ground, and then returned his hoof to holding the sword in front of Sombra. "I've taken away your dark powers..." Ace growled. "You enslaved these ponies, Sombra." Hawk gestured around at the various crystal ponies, some of which were glaring at their ex-tyrant ruler. "For a thousand years, they were your slaves. Now..." Hawk raised his swords up in the air, and Sombra closed his eyes and prepared for the worst.

"Ace, no!" Rainbow cried out.

"AAAH!" Ace roared before slamming his swords down.

The crowd gasped.

The golden element scimitars were embedded in the ground on either side of Sombra. In a flash of light, they disappeared. Ace narrowed his eyes. "I think I'll let them decide how to deal with you..."

"What!?" Sombra asked alarmedly as several Crystal ponies gathered around him shouting angrily. "Coward! You can't even finish me!"

"I've just finished you in the best way possible..." Ace turned around and scowled at the tyrant. "At the hands of your 'subjects.'"

"No!" Sombra cried out as he was grabbed by a couple stallions. "NO! You son of a-ARGH!"

There was a snapping sound of what Ace assumed was a bone as an angry mob started gathering around the tyrant. Rainbow Dash flew forward and hugged Ace, spinning him around. "You gutsy devil, you!" She kissed him ferociously before pulling back and nuzzling him. "You could have died! How did you even know you could do that?"

"I didn't..." Ace laughed. "I was..." He sighed. "I was ready to die to protect this place...I had no idea..."

Rainbow hugged him tightly. "I'm just glad you are safe..."

Ace hugged her back and smiled. "Me, too."

* * *

_As the real Crystal Heart was put into place, and all the crystal ponies were revived from the dreariness and started to shine, the normal ponies began to shine, too. Standing next to Rainbow Dash in his armor on the balcony, he looked down at himself. He laughed. "I'm shiny!" He looked at Rainbow Dash, who was shining as well, and who now had the cutest little pony tail._

_"Dash, you look amazing..." Ace put a forehoof around his lover and drew her close._

_She looked up at him and smirked. "So do you, Ace..."_

_"Am I different, too?"_

_She reached up and ran a forehoof through his hair, which did indeed feel different._

_"Digging the faux hawk..." She nuzzled him._

_"A crystal faux hawk..." He chuckled. "I didn't see that one coming..."_

_As the crystal ponies below them cheered, Ace enjoyed the moment of holding his marefriend with his son safe at home under the care of the Cakes, after saving a civilization. This was one moment that he wished could last forever._

_He was glad Celestia allowed him to stay._

* * *

_With Ace's help, Sombra faced a more deserving fate than the one he received...and he would not be a problem in the Northern territories today..._

_The Crystal Empire would have been saved under different circumstances..._

_And Prince Shining Armor would not have had to throw his wife..._

_But I digress._

* * *

The Red Hoof agent chuckled at the old veteran's joke, and continued reading.

* * *

_But above all else, Ace and Rainbow Dash..._

_Well..._

_Their relationship would turn out the way it was supposed to from the start..._

* * *

**13 Years Ago, Canterlot Castle, Throne Room...**

**...the wedding of Blue 'Ace' Bass and Rainbow Dash.**

* * *

"So you, Rainbow Dash, take Ace to be your lawfully wedded stallion?" Celestia asked with a smile on her.

Rainbow Dash, who wore a beautiful white dress with rainbow lining and a white veil over her face. Her mane was done up in a pony tail. She had stuck with that look when Dan told her how good she looked at the Crystal Empire a year ago. She gazed over at the stallion across from her and blushed at the sight of him. He wore a black suit with a golden vest and bowtie. He had the cutest, small smile on his face. He blushed back and exhaled shortly before she responded.

"I do."

"Heh..." Ace huffed nervously.

Celestia looked over at Ace and repeated her question. "Do you, Ace, take Rainbow Dash to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Ace smiled. It appeared as though he was sure.

He wasn't.

He loved Rainbow Dash. He wouldn't choose anypony else. But on the other hoof, he was still, in reality, a human. Earth still existed. So did his family. All of it was still frozen in time.

He'd be married to a different species. He wondered how his deeply Christian parents would approve.

He missed Earth in some ways. The food. The music. The people.

The people...

But at the same time, he despised Earth.

They had amazing version of all those things here in Equestria. Not to mention the people there that caused him to drop into his depressed state were on Earth..

"Screw that..." Ace thought. "I'd rather stay here where people...er, ponies...actually care..." He looked at Rainbow Dash and smiled. "I'll...I'll do it..."

"I...I do." He looked up and smiled.

"Then I know pronounce you husband and wife." Celestia smiled and the crowd in the throne room cheered. "You may kiss the bride, Ace."

Both ponies smiled, and Rainbow leaned forward to kiss Ace. But before she could, she found herself being swept off her hooves, her veil being lifted off, and lips being pressed against hers. Cheers resounded from the crowd and streamers started falling, due to Twilight Sparkle's magic.

Truly, it was a sight to behold. The two ponies that represented the Element of Love were finally being joined together...

...forever.

* * *

**13 Years Ago, Rainbow Dash's cloud...**

**...after the wedding.**

* * *

Ace and Rainbow Dash opened the door to Rainbow Dash's cloud home, laughing.

"That was a great reception!" Ace said, letting his new wife, who was holding a sleeping toddler Blazing Dawn, in and shutting the door. "And trust me, I've been to lots of boring ones..."

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "I bet, hun..." She flew into Blazing Dawn's adjacent room and started gently laying down the small alicorn onto his small cloud bed. She slowly wrapped up the small alicorn in clouds and smiled when Blazing Dawn yawned and turned over, snuggling himself into the covers.

"We made a beautiful kid, didn't we?" Ace's voice sounded from behind her, his forehooves wrapping around her stomach.

She nuzzled her new husband and chuckled. "A baby goat?"

"Ugh..." Ace sighed. "We call the little ones on Earth kids..."

"Earth sounds weird..." Rainbow turned to face him, pressing her forehead against his and closing her eyes.

"You have no idea..." Ace smiled and chuckled, gently kissing her nose.

She chuckled. "You ever gonna go back?"

"Someday, I suppose..." Ace slowly started angling them towards their bedroom as they hovered in the air. "Not anytime soon...I have too much here that I don't want to give up..."

Rainbow sighed. "Don't you have, like, a family you still love?"

"I do...but that's not important right now..."

Rainbow suddenly realized what Ace was doing, but it was too late. She blushed and chuckled as her wedding dress slid off her cyan fur. Ace had silently undone the buttons holding the dress onto her and the dress fell to the floor.

"Remember the night I told you the truth about who I was?" Ace said in a lower register as he swiftly removed his tuxedo coat. "And you said you were going to show me traditions of inviting ponies to the Gala?"

Rainbow blushed and nodded. "Heehee...yeah, and then we-?"

"Exactly." Ace narrowed his eyes seductively and threw off his bow tie and tux shirt with quick flicks of his hooves. "Now, there's an Earth tradition I want to share with you."

Suddenly, Ace rushed forward and swept Rainbow Dash into his forehooves. He kissed her and then smiled, "The tradition that the groom, that's me, carries the bride, that's you, to bed the night after their wedding."

"Ohhh..." Rainbow chuckled and gently leaned up and kissed Ace's nose. "You Earthlings had some class..."

"Rainbow Dash? Talking about class?!" Ace feigned surprise. "Interesting..."

"Just shut up and let me enjoy this..." Rainbow narrowed her magenta eyes and smiled, positioning her forehooves up in front of her.

"You don't have to tell me twice..." Ace flew into the bedroom and placed his lover down on the bed, kissing her cheek as he did so.

"I love you, Rainbow Dash..." Ace nuzzled her.

"I love you, too, Dan..."

* * *

The Hoof agent chuckled and smiled as he read how their wedding would be. "I wish that were true...Ace sounds like he would make a great husband for Rainbow Dash..." He continued reading.

* * *

_They would wed, and on that night, they would most likely conceive another child..._

_A sibling Pegasus pony whom the young Blazing Dawn could play with so that he would not be so alone growing up..._

_This ends my account of what should have happened._

* * *

The text ended, and the Hoof agent anxiously turned to the next yellowed out page.

* * *

_I...I don't have much longer..._

_The blood I'm losing is increasing in volume...I...it's soaking through the bandage I put around it..._

_The Hoof agent looked down at Sixer's corpse. Sure enough, there was a bloodied bandage around his abdomen. He continued reading._

_Whoever finds this..._

_IF anypony finds this..._

_Know this..._

_Things may seem dark and desolate..._

_But the Seventh Element has indeed returned..._

_You must seek him out..._

_And tell him the changelings are not the only beings behind these numerous attacks..._

_They have had help..._

_And I know who it is..._

_So before I die, I will say goodbye to my daughter, Violet..._

_Violet...be strong..._

_And don't cry, no matter what happens to me..._

_I love you..._

* * *

The Hoof agent sighed and looked at Sixer's corpse. "If I see her, I will honor that wish, sir..."

* * *

_I will now bestow upon you my knowledge...of who is really behind this...the changelings and the zebras are getting help from..._

* * *

"Corporal Redemption, sir!" A guard suddenly burst through the shed door.. "Contact, in the sky! Something's coming!"

"What is it?" The Hoof agent known as Redemption asked alarmedly, stuffing Captain's Sixer's final testament into a pocket in his armor before following the soldier outside.

He found all the soldiers he brought with him with weapons drawn surrounding something. The guard drew his weapon and started to run, as did Redemption. "Looks like it landed..."

As they drew closer, one of the guards already surrounding whatever landed turned and yelled, "Sir! It's a blue Pegasus! He appears wounded!"

"Blue Pegasus?" Redemption remembered Sixer's description of Ace. "WEAPONS DOWN!" The guards surrounding the Pegasus slowly lowered their weapons as Redemption forced his way through the crowd. "Blue Bass?"

Standing before all the guards was a blue Pegasus with a brown messy and dirty mane and tail who was steadily looking down at the ground. As the guard had said, he was indeed wounded. Blood was slowly dripping from his forehead, making a small puddle on the ground.

"Blue Bass?" Redemption stepped forward, cocking an eye. "Is that...you?"

The Pegasus moved his head a little in Redemption's direction. "Redemption, is it?" His voice sounded cracked and hiss-like. It sent chills down Redemption's spine. "A Red Hoof, no less...good for you..." Slowly, the Pegasus lifted his head up and locked eyes with Redemption. Redemption shuddered. He looked a little like the Blue Bass of legend, except he was...different. His mane was shorter, and...his eyes.

They were not golden.

They were a sickly, glowing green.

And small, as if he were...insane.

And the dripping wound above his right eye made things even creepier.

"I had great respect for the Red Hooves..." He said, smiling evilly afterwards. His canine teeth were rather large for a Pegasus of his size.

Redemption was confused. He growled and drew a knife, pressing it up against the crazy-looking Pegasus's throat. "You did not answer my question!" He gritted his teeth. "Are you or are you not Blue Bass?"

Blue Bass stared at the Red Hoof for an instant with a confused look. Finally, he started to cackle maniacally. "Hahahaha...HAAAAAHAHA! Heeeehehehe..." He smirked. "I was..."

"This guy is nuts..." A guard said from behind Redemption.

Ace stopped laughing and slowly leaned over and looked at the guard who spoke. "Insane? You think..." He narrowed his evil-looking green eyes at the guard. "I'm insane?"

"Y-yes?" The guard responded.

"GOOD ANSWER, MEAT!" Ace shrieked suddenly.

(highly recomended you go to YouTube and cue this: /watch?v=bg92QpjRcJk)

Ace, with surprising strength, suddenly slammed a forehoof into Redemption so hard he was sent flying over the guards surrounding him and landed with a heavy thud.

Picking up Redemption's knife, Ace sped forward in the blink of an eye and slit the throat of the guard who had called him insane. The other guards around him cried out in terror and drew their weapons, charging Ace.

Ace leaped into the air and threw the knife at a charging guard, striking him in the throat. Ace landed, picking up the dead guard's spear, and impaled it through another guard. He then whirled around and hurled the writhing guard on the spear into the crowd of guards that were still charging him.

One guard managed to dodge the flying guard and stab his sword right into Ace's foreleg. Ace didn't even flinch. He cackled and looked down at the guard his his creepy green eyes, which were now glowing. The guard was frozen in terror. Ace slowly reached down, grabbed the sword, and with a sickening flesh-ripping noise, he removed the sword, turned it around and, and lunged it through the guard's neck. Gurling in pain, the guard fell over, dead.

"Gaaaahahahahahaha!" Ace laughed, turning to the rest of the guards, who began to flee. He took flight, picked up the dead guard's sword, and started chasing them.

Redemption lay still on the ground, unmoving. He lifted his head up, slowly. His head was spinning. He must've hit it on a rock.

"That Red Hoof is alive!" A female voice hissed behind him.

"Hurry! Get him out of there!" A male voice sounded.

"Whu-what?" Redemption murmured, trying to roll over and get a look at who was talking.

"Shh!" A blue mare with weird ears and a purple mane said to him while a white Pegasus with a blue mane and tail slowly lifted him. "Stay quiet!" She winced as a guard cried out from getting killed.

"Ugh..." Redemption leaned back and felt himself being lifted up by the two Pegasus ponies.

As everything blacked out, he heard the two talking. "Violet, we need to tell Rainbow Dash about this!"

The mare known as Violet sighed and responded, "I know, Fyre Bolt...the Elements are gonna need to do something about this..."

* * *

FIN

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little what-if story/preview for what's to come.**

**A new chapter for The return is in the works and should be up soon.**

Any questions? Go to the Seventh Element group page on FiMFiction and discuss it on the message boards.

Many thanks to Zimprus Nalune for editing and Robsa990 for more epic art!

OCs:

Violet © BloodyOkami

Fyre Bolt © Robsa990

Red Hooves © QTXAdsy (although Redemption is an OC of my own creation. QTXAdsy, I hope you like him.)

Stay tuned, guys!

-Thunderhawk


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